help - intros with african pygmy dormice

[shelby]

hi i have three apd two female and a male they have recently bred and have three youngsters i had to remove the male as he was attacked by the female he lost his tail his now on his own what i want to no is can he be reintroduced or will he be ok on his own can he go back in with the young or isit best to wait tell they have new homes i really need some advise i can;t find any info online.

Mod Note: Have clarified the species in the title as in such a general board this is needed due to inter-species behavioural differences.

[Sproggie14]

What does APD stand for?
_________________
Sarah

[PresqueVu]

Is this african pygmy dormice? If so, no, he won't be happy on his own - but adult intros are quite tricky I'm afraid. I've only done one intro, and that with babies, and the advice I got there was to try rubbing vicks vapour on their rear ends to conceal their own smell - but as its the only intro I've done I can't say how it compares!

Intros with new animals need to be done in neutral territory, so give them a clean beforehand, and best during the day so they are a bit dopey! How long has he been apart from them? As it may depend on whether they remember each other, or whether it will count as unknown.

Unfortunately, the loss of the tail seems to happen with quite a few people - I've got a young one whose lost half

You could also try searching/asking on these forums
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/exotic-mammals/ and hopefully some other people who keep them will add to this!

[internet_nobody]

African Pygmy Doormouse.

D'oh, presque-vu got there first.

[acapae]

african pygmy dormice?
Ok, so my net is really really slow

[shelby]

hi thanks for your replys his been on his own for a month i'm going to clean them out tomorrow as the babies have now gone to their new home
so fingers crossed they remember him and his ok.

[Sproggie14]

Do you mean put him back with the females? If so, please don't. It's very bad for the females to be constantly pregnant and having babies and they'll breed again immediately (assuming they accept him back, I don't know enough about their intros to say for sure but it seems unlikely).
_________________
Sarah

[shelby]

well i was going to put him back what do you suggest if he shouldn't be on his own and if i put him back i no their will be more babies.this is why i have come here for some advise.not sure what to do for the best

[Sproggie14]

I think the best thing would have been to introduce him to one of his male babies. Can you get one back from the new home?
_________________
Sarah

[shelby]

hi but i thought you couldn't keep two male together and the babies were to young to sex so i guess he will have to stay on his own for now untill i can come up with a sallution

[internet_nobody]

As far as I know males can be kept together if introduced young.

I don't like to preech, but you really shouldn't be re-homing unsexed babies. Assuming they've gone together then the person who has taken them may end up with some lovely inbred little surprises. I know with APD that they can be hard to sex, but you should really have kept them until it was possible.

[shelby]

my male is not a youngster so i feel this is not an option and could be putting the youngster in danger or him.i don't take your comment as preaching but most apd babies are sold as unsexed as it is 5mnths before they can be properly sexed and even then it is not allways easy.the person i sold them too has kept them before and was well aware of their care.

[Angelus Noctis]

Sorry, I haven't been here for a longer time...

Does he have company again? If not, maybe I can help because I never found them difficult to keep and introduce them into larger male groups (about 30 individuals).


Angelus
_________________
www.das-maeuseasyl.de/mousehole